Borger, Texas
Borger is a city in Hutchinson County, Texas. The population of the city is 13,251. Demographics As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the racial composition of the city is: 65.03% White (8,617) 28.56% Hispanic or Latino (3,785) 3.29% Other (436) 3.12% Black or African American (413) 20.1% (2,663) of Borger residents live below the poverty line. Theft rate statistics Borger has low to below average rates of Pokemon theft and murder. The city reported 3 Pokemon thefts in 2018, and averages 0.83 murders a year. Pokemon See the Hutchinson County page for more info. Fun facts * In the beginning, Borger had a notorious struggle with lawlessness and violence in the late 1920s, and into the 1930s, climaxing with the murder of District Attorney John A. Holmes by an assassin on September 18, 1929. This event caused Governor Moody to impose martial law for a month and send in state troops to help rid the town of its criminal element. Eventually, Borger settled down, but not before town founder Ace Borger was shot and killed at the post office by Arthur Huey on August 31, 1934. Huey was county treasurer and was irked at Ace Borger for not bailing him out of jail on an embezzlement charge. Huey shot Borger five times with a Colt .45 pistol, even pulling Borger's own pistol out of his clothing and shooting him again, along with others there in the post office. * By the late 1930s, Borger was pushed from one era to another by the Great Depression. Phillips Petroleum and others profited from the oil fields in the area, but during this time, the price of oil and gas dropped, ending the "boom" and the rapid growth of Borger. Carbon black plants added black soot to the Dust Bowl storms, covering the town in layers of dark grime. "Okie" migrants forced off their foreclosed farms back in Oklahoma found work in Borger plants and refineries. The Works Project Administration provided the town with new red-brick streets as the ramshackle shacks throughout town were replaced by more permanent buildings. During World War II, synthetic rubber and other petroleum products became important in the Borger area. By the 1960s, the Borger area was one of the largest producers of oil, carbon black, and petrochemicals and supplies in the state. The creation of nearby Lake Meredith also added to the town's economy as an important recreational area. Today, Borger remains an important shipping point for agricultural produce, as well as for the petroleum products produced there. It is the home of the world's largest inland petrochemical complexes. Chevron-Phillips Chemical Company produces specialty chemicals. Solvay produces RYTON PPS plastics. Phillips 66 Petroleum Company processes crude oil and natural gas liquids. Agrium manufactures nitrogen fertilizer in its Borger plant. Borger also has Sid Richardson Carbon Company, which produces rubber-grade carbon black used to strengthen rubber tires, and Orion Engineered Carbons, Inc., which produces a variety of carbon blacks at its Borger facility. The original townsite is said to have been founded around 1898 by John F. Weatherly, a rancher who built a dugout and gave the future town the grandiose name of Granada. Weatherly's wife wanted it named after her former home – a town in West Virginia called Isom. * During the winter of 1982–1983, Borger received a total of 58.7 inches of snow. This is the most snow that any Texas town has ever received during a winter season. * In 1900, Weatherly opened a store in his ranchhouse, which also became the first post office. Mrs. Weatherly opened a cafe and the community had a school opened by 1907. In October 1919, the mail was diverted through Plemons and the Isom post office closed. The Weatherlys lost interest in the town they founded and moved to the nearby town of Panhandle in 1922, but they wisely retained ownership of all that was Isom. When oil was discovered in early 1926, Weatherly returned and moved the town to the oilfield spur of the railroad near Borger. Isom was platted with all lots south of First Street being Isom, Texas, and all streets north in Borger. From June to December 1926, the towns were rivals. Although the town had a railroad depot, several oil-well supply warehouses, and no shortage of would-be citizens, a petition signed by 1,200 residents in early December declared Borger the winner. Isom's school merged with Borger's schools, driving the last stake into Isom. The town has the dubious distinction of being the oldest of the townsites annexed by Borger. * Borger has a bit of amenities to offer. It has dollar stores, United Supermarkets, some fast food, Walmart, Nintendo World, some local restaurants and businesses, the county museum, Hutchinson County Airport, a few hotels/motels, a contest hall and showcase theater, a golf course, a sports complex, some public battle fields, a few auto parts places and car dealerships, CVS, Solstice Apparel, a couple of RV parks, Salvation Army, electric showers, and a couple of other things. Category:Texas Cities